Road-cart



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' ROAD GART.

No. 410.353. Patented Sept. 3,1889

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E. W. DOOLITTLE.

ROAD CART. S No. 410,353. Patented Sept. 3,1889.

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WITNESSES: INVESTOR:

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UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

EMMET \VARREN DOOLITTLE, OF GARDEN GROVE, IOIVA.

ROAD-CART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 410,353, datedSeptember 3, 1889.

Application filed December 28, 1888. Serial No. 294,345- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, EMMET VARREN DOO- LITTLE, of Garden Grove, in thecounty of Decatur and State of Iowa, have invented a new and ImprovedRoad-(Dart, of which the following is a full, clear, 31 16. exactdescription.

The invention relates to two-wheeled vehicles; and its object is toprovide a new and improved road-cart which is simple and durable inconstruction and greatly lessens the disagreeable jogging motionimparted to the vehicle by the step of the horse.

The invention consists in certain parts and details and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional sideelevation of the same on the line a: 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asectionalside elevation of a modified form of the same, and Fig. 4 is atransverse section of the seat part of the same on the line '1/ g ofFig. 8.

The improved road-cart A is provided with the two wheels B B, mounted toturn 011 the axle O, on which are secured the upwardly and forwardlyextending short shafts D, united near their front ends by the transversebeam D. On the front ends of the short shafts D are secured the lugs E,on which are pivoted thelong shafts F, to which the horse is hitched,and extending at the rear end beyond the pivot-point under the shafts D.The rear end of each long shaft F is provided with a slot F, in whichfits one end of a spring G, pref erably coiled in the shape shown inFigs. 1 and 2. The other end of each spring G is secured to thecorresponding shaft D between the axle O and the transverse beam D, asis plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In front of the lugs E of the shaftsF is secured the usual transverse beam F on which is pivoted thewhiffletree to which the traces of the horse are attached To thetransverse beam D are secured the ends of the springs H, which aresimilar in construction to the springs G, and are connected at theirother ends with the bent bars I, supporting the platform or footrest- J.The bars I at the rear of the platform J are bent upward and thenrearward, and carry at their outer upper ends a transverse beam I, onwhich rests the seat K. The latter is provided with longitudinal slotsK, through which pass the bolts L, also passing through the transversebeam 1. On the lower threaded endsof the bolts L screw the winged nutsL, against the under side of the transverse beam I, so as to hold theseat K in place on the said bars I. Theslots K permit the longitudinaladjustment of the seat K according to the weight to be sustained on theseat. On the under side of the transverse beam 1 is secured a spring N,which may be of the usual elliptical form, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and2, or of 'the shape illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in which part of thespring is coiled. The spring N is secured in its middle to the middlepart of the beam 1, and extends equal distances on each side, beingpivotally connected at its outer ends with the free ends of the springsO, secured at their other ends to the tops of the short shafts D. Thesprings 0 may be of the shape shown in Fig. 2, or as illustrated in Fig.3. The springs 0 may be adjusted on the short shafts D for a heavy orlight load by providing the shafts with slots, through which pass thebolts securing the springs O to the shafts, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation is as follows: When the several parts are in place, asillustrated in the drawings, and the horse is hitched to the long shaftsand draws the vehicle forward, then the jogging motion of the horse isnot transmitted to the seat and the person seated 011 the same, onaccount of the shafts F being pivoted to the short shafts D and thesprings G being interposed between the said shafts. Further, the joggingmotion is not felt by the person on the seat 011 account of the latterbeing supported on springs from the short shafts D, as previouslydescribed. It is understood that the swinging motion of the long shaftsF on their pivots on the lugs E is taken up by the springs G, connectedwith the slotted ends of the shafts F. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1-. In a road-cart, the combination, with the short shafts secured attheir lower rear ends to the axle and curved upward and forwardtherefrom, of the long shafts pivoted near their rear ends to theforward upper ends of the short shafts, and a spring connecting the rearends of said long shafts with the under sides of the short shafts,substantially as set forth.

2. In aroad'cart, the combination, with the short shafts curved downwardat their rear ends and secured to the shaft, a cross-piece uniting thesaid shafts, of the long shafts pivoted near their rear ends to theforward upward ends of the short shafts, transverse coiled springs Gconnecting the rear ends of the long shafts with the under sides of theshort shafts at their bends, substantially as set forth. v

3. The combination, with the short shafts curved upward and forward fromthe axle, a cross-piece connecting their front ends, and the springs H,secured to the said cross-piece, of the foot-rest and seat-supportingbars I, supported at their forward lower ends by the said springs H, theupper ends of the bars being projected rearward beyond the axle, andsupporting-springs for said upper ends projecting rearward from theshort shafts, substantially as set forth.

4. In a road-cart, the combination,with short shafts secured to the axleand long shafts pivotally connected with the said short shafts, ofrearwardly-extending springs secured to the said short shafts, atransverse spring connected with the ends of the said shaft-springs, aseat supported 011 the said transverse spring, bars connected with thesaid seat and supporting the platform, and springs connected with thesaid bars at their front ends and secured to the front ends of the saidshort shafts,,substantially as shown and described.

5. In aroad-cart, the co1nbinati0n,With short shafts secured to the axleand long shafts pivotally connected with the said short shafts, of

rearwardly-extending springs secured to the said short shafts, atransverse spring connected with the ends of the said shaftsprings,

a seat supported on the said transverse spring,

bars connected with the said seat and supporting the platform, springsconnected with the said bars at their front ends and secured to thefront ends of the said short shafts, and bolts passing throughlongitudinal slots in the said seat for adjusting the said seat,substantially as shown and described.

EMMET WARREN DOOLITTLE.

Witnesses:

GEO. J. WoonBURY, GooLD SANFORD.

